


Angel Eyes

by so_real



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Found Family, Kissing, M/M, Portals, Wizards, basically wooyoung gets isekaid the fic, dragon! seonghwa, icb this isnt a tag, kitchen witch! san, sorta - Freeform, theres the barest mention of seongjoong but like blink and youll miss it, unnecessarily pompous language but it is a sort of medieval setting, wizards! woosang
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:09:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26997247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/so_real/pseuds/so_real
Summary: '"Are you alright?" a deep voice asked, and Wooyoung looked up into the eyes of the most beautiful person he'd ever seen."I am now," he said, stupidly, but the angel in the doorstep simply raised a perfect eyebrow at him in curiosity.'ORWooyoung gets transported to another world, but he meets Yeosang there, so it can't possibly be all that bad
Relationships: Jung Wooyoung/Kang Yeosang
Comments: 13
Kudos: 60
Collections: All Hallows ATEEZ Exchange





	Angel Eyes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Solrey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solrey/gifts).



> hi! my prompt was: 'In a lazy, snuggly town falls a wizard into a fountain, suddenly somewhere he had never been before. Soaking wet he stumbles through the town into a little shop for magical items and requests. There he finds shelter and might eventually fall for the owner of the shop. Even his friends, whom he gets to know, say that the two are perfect for each other and so, after accepting his fate, he stays, living his life peacefully.'
> 
> i tried to experiment a bit w this one and give it a bit of a fairy tale vibe but as youll see, i think it backfired, im sorry
> 
> i still hope you can enjoy some dumb magic boyos!
> 
> title is from Angel Eyes by ABBA bc i listened to both mamma mias' sountracks on a loop while writing this lol

Once upon a time there lived a wizard, who was known amongst his peers for being playful and charming. This wizard lived in a town where nothing truly ever happened, a town made for cozy nights by the fireplace, for stories such as the one you’re about to read. The wizard’s name was Wooyoung, and this is the tale of his adventures on the other side of the fountain.

On a warm, sunny spring morning, the kind of morning that makes children daydream about summer and people tilt their heads backward to feel the warmth of the sun on their faces as they walk, Wooyoung found himself on his way to one of his usual haunts, the marketplace in the clock tower square. True to his troublemaker ways, Wooyoung thoroughly enjoyed the market, a lawless land where he could wreak havoc amongst the townspeople and leave before anyone was the wiser.

On that particular day, Wooyoung didn’t have anything special in mind, just his usual tomfoolery: mixing people’s orders up, making the milk go bad, summoning a bit of rain if things were looking too peachy… Little pleasures for a trickster wizard such as himself. After all, what was wrong about a little fun, as long as it didn’t hurt anyone? Wooyoung didn’t want to cause any harm, just to have a good time.

The marketplace was already bustling with life by the time he got there, and he quickly went about his routine of mischiefs, making sure to leave the best for the end. In the middle of the square, there was a fountain, and Wooyoung enjoyed making it sprinkle water on the passersby that were unlucky enough to find themselves within its range. It was a show truly worthy of being witnessed, and Wooyoung always saved it for last, wanting to savor it to the maximum.

But before he could execute his grand finale, a voice cut through the air:

“It’s him! The trickster boy!”

Wooyoung turned on his heels, searching for the source of the ruckus. A woman, dressed in modest clothes, pointed at him as she dragged a stern-looking sheriff behind her. Recognizing her as one of the vendors he used to terrorize, Wooyoung immediately set off, running in the opposite direction of the law agent. The sheriff, interpreting Wooyoung’s fleeing attempt correctly, launched after him to give him chase.

It was an unfair match on all accounts. Wooyoung had the head start, but he was only a scrawny boy, while the sheriff was big and athletic, and his legs quickly brought him to the wizard. Seeing himself cornered, Wooyoung leaped to the right, only to find himself standing right in front of the fountain he was so fond of. Without thinking, he hopped on the ledge, unsure of what to do once he had the higher ground. He was not a fighter, and even if he were, the sheriff outpowered him by far, leaving no option but to outsmart him. If he could only manage to trick the sheriff into falling forward and into the fountain…

It all happened in a flurry of movement, the sheriff reached for him with his arms outstretched just as Wooyoung hopped to the side, stepped on thin air, and fell backwards into the cold water of the fountain.

And then, the strangest sensation overcame Wooyoung.

Instead of hitting the bottom of the fountain and seeing the satisfaction of his public humiliation in the eyes of every person in the square, his body kept falling, tumbling into the aether, until he was unable to tell where up and down were, what reality truly was. He fell and fell and thought that this might truly be it, this was the end of his trickster wizard days, until he finally emerged from the water, sputtering and panting heavily.

The first indication that something was not as it should have been was the cool whist of wind that hit Wooyoung's wet face. The air in the square had been warm with the promise of summer, yet the one that greeted Wooyoung when he surfaced had the bite of a weather that was readying itself for winter.

The second one was the silence. Not one sound of the market made its way to Wooyoung's ears, the chatter, the twinkling of coins, the rustle of cattle, all of it had disappeared, and in its place, all Wooyoung could hear was the wind and the faint sounds of a busy road nearby.

With a shiver that had more to it than just cold, Wooyoung stood from the fountain, staring at the empty square, that was both familiar and unknown at the same time. How did an entire market just vanish? Where was everyone, and why was the sky suddenly cold and grey?

Wooyoung stumbled through the square, trembling as the cold wind blew through his soaked clothes. The layout of the square was the same: the clock tower, the three intersecting streets, the fountain in the middle… but Wooyoung was unable to recognize the dark red of the paving stones, or the shops lining the street in front of him. The bakery with the sweet old lady was gone, and so were the pawn shop in front of it and every other business he had known, all of them replaced by unfamiliar signs and doors.

Lost, he wandered down that same street, gawking at the unsettling sights, and wondering whether he did indeed lose consciousness in that fountain, and this was all a twisted dream. But the chill in his bones felt too present, and the dread in his heart was too strong to not be true, and Wooyoung just had a feeling that this strange town was as real as it was wrong.

The street merged with another, bigger road that was the source of the bustling sounds, and Wooyoung stood there, dazed, for a few minutes, just taking everything in. None of the places looked like the ones in his town, and yet, there was something in them, an air of familiarity, that made Wooyoung feel unsettled and confused.

Unsure of what else to do, he followed the main road in the direction of what appeared to be the center of the town, ducking his head and avoiding the stares of the people who took in his wet clothes and the way they weren't suited for the cold weather that loomed over them. It smelled like snow was imminent, a prospect he really wasn’t looking forward to, and Wooyoung continued walking, trembling becoming more and more prominent, until his teeth began to clatter and he had to stop walking to huddle next to the closest doorstep, trying to soak in any heat coming from the crack under the door.

He was starting to think this would be his end when the door behind him opened, and a glorious wave of warmth engulfed him.

"Are you alright?" a deep voice asked, and Wooyoung looked up into the eyes of the most beautiful person he'd ever seen.

"I am now," he said, stupidly, but the angel in the doorstep simply raised a perfect eyebrow at him in curiosity.

"Do you want to come in? You look like you could use some warmth," the angel asked, and Wooyoung forced himself to tear his eyes away from his face to look at his surroundings.

 _A magic shop_ , his frozen brain supplied, and Wooyoung felt a flicker of hope ignite in his chest. When in unknown land, always find a magic practitioner.

"If you don't mind…" he trailed off, redirecting his eyes to the angel's big, dark ones.

The angel shook his head, and offered a hand to help Wooyoung stand. "Come on in, you can sit by the fire."

Wooyoung took his outstretched hand, and felt like all the cold left his body upon contact. The angel’s hands were rough and calloused, big and warm, and Wooyoung could not help but stare transfixed at the small scars littered over the canvas of golden skin. His host directed him towards the back of the shop, where a small fireplace held a bubbling cauldron over a cackling fire.

“Here,” he said, pointing to a stool near it. Wooyoung gladly grabbed it and sat so close to the fire he could practically feel it licking away the cold from his frozen skin. “I’ll see if I can find you anything dry to wear.”

The words made Wooyoung look up, startled, but the angel was already walking away and into a door Wooyoung hadn’t noticed before. Wooyoung stared dumbfounded at the door before shrugging and settling with a sigh next to the fire again. Once he felt like he could move his toes again, he allowed his eyes to wander around the shop.

A wooden counter stretched in front of him, covered in small heaps of herbs and fabric, bottled potion ingredients, crystals… the same materials that covered most of the shelves lining the walls. A shelf near the door held teapots and cauldrons similar to the one boiling over the fire, and above that, several plants that Wooyoung assumed to have magical properties brought color to the shop. A small window by the door gave the people transiting the busy street a good look of the products on display, and allowed Wooyoung to see the way small snowflakes had started falling outside. The angel had quite literally saved him from a freezing death.

“Here, it’s not pretty, but it’ll do,” that same deep voice startled him out of his gloomy thoughts, and Wooyoung looked back to his savior, who was holding what looked like a thick cotton shirt and long wool pants. They were obviously work clothes, the knees of the pants were frayed, and the shirt had some scorch marks, but they looked comfortable and, most importantly, warm, so Wooyoung wouldn’t even dream of complaining. “You can change in the back.”

Wooyoung staggered to his feet, grabbing the clothes and trying not to look at his host like he had hung up the stars in the sky. "You're too kind."

The angel scoffed, shook his head. "It's just some old clothes."

"You know what I meant," Wooyoung told him, and made his way to the same door the angel had used before.

He changed quickly, sighing when the soft feeling of warm fabric caressed his cold limbs. The shirt was big on him, neck loose on his shoulders and sleeves falling past his hands, but the pants fit well enough, and Wooyoung immediately felt warmth seep into his skin.

Making a bundle with his still wet clothes, he walked back into the shop, where the angel was standing behind the counter, methodically smashing something with a pestle. He turned when he heard Wooyoung, and his eyes scanned his figure before he nodded to himself.

"Put those next to the fire to dry," he instructed, pointing to Wooyoung's clothes with his chin. The wizard hurried to lay his clothes out in front of the fireplace before quietly stalking back to his savior.

“Thank you,” he told him once he had come close enough. The angel’s pretty hands were stirring a small pot now, and Wooyoung watched them work quietly for a while.

“It’s nothing,” his host said, shrugging. “It wouldn’t have made me look good if I just let you die on my doorstep, would it?”

Wooyoung let out a hearty laugh, humor slowly returning to him along with the warmth. “I guess it wouldn’t. I’m Wooyoung, by the way.”

The angel hummed in acknowledgement. “I’m Yeosang.”

“Yeosang.” It sounded like light in Wooyoung’s tongue. “Thank you, truly.”

“Don’t mention it,” Yeosang replied, but Wooyoung didn’t miss the faint color that had dusted his cheeks. His face was just as exquisite from the side, a profile that looked carved out of stone, dark, intelligent eyes, a soft nose, thin but beautiful lips… Wooyoung was unable to tear his eyes away. Next to his left eye, in a smudge that was artfully covered by his long hair, a birthmark that Wooyoung’s fingers and lips itched to touch.

“Can I ask you a question, Wooyoung?” Yeosang’s deep voice once again brought him back from his reverie. He had moved from stirring to pouring the contents of the pot into small bottles, his brow furrowed in a little focused crease.

“Of course,” Wooyoung conceded, staring, fascinated, at the calculated movements of his hands.

“You’re not from around here, are you?”

The question took Wooyoung a bit by surprise, although, when he thought about it, he had to admit it was a pretty obvious one. He could only imagine what he’d looked like, soaking wet and wearing spring clothes, wandering around like a confused drunkard.

“No, I’m not,” he replied, watching with interest as Yeosang labelled the bottles with small scraps of adhesive paper. He couldn’t recognize the system used to identify them, but he didn’t know whether that was due to Yeosang in particular or the strange town in general.

“May I ask where you are from?” Yeosang continued, wiping his hands on a piece of cloth and going over to stir the fire, giving the cauldron a look before he nodded to himself and got another stool from where he’d produced Wooyoung’s. Wooyoung took that as an invitation to sit with him by the fire, and he gladly took it.

“My town is known as Miresville,” he said, watching as the fire cast new shadows on Yeosang’s features. He looked so serious, so righteous, but Wooyoung had a feeling underneath that stony exterior there was something a lot more playful and soft.

“That’s curious,” Yeosang commented, twirling a ring on his finger. Wooyoung categorized the movement before looking up at him again.

“Why?”

“This is Erimsville,” Yeosang explained, and Wooyoung’s heart did a small somersault in his chest.

“Thats-”

“The same name spelled backwards, yes,” Yeosang clarified. His face had lost all trace of mirth, and was now schooled into something pensive and solemn.

Wooyoung ran his hand through his hair, distressed. "Can I tell you something that will sound rather insane?"

"Is it the story of how you came here?" Yeosang questioned, completely calm. Wooyoung nodded, trying to channel that energy into himself and failing. "Go ahead, I was about to ask you abou it anyway."

"Oh," Wooyoung breathed out, surprised. "Alright, yes, uh…" Now that he had the chance to, he didn't know how to begin to explain it. "I was in my town, right? And jumped on the fountain ledge because the sh- because I was being foolish. I misstepped and fell into the water and when I came back out, I was here."

His cheeks flamed after the almost slip, but Yeosang didn't seem to notice his tumbling over words. He looked absorbed in his thoughts, twirling that same ring with his fingers absently.

"Do you think I'm mad?" Wooyoung asked after a while of that silent stare. Yeosang startled at the question, and his eyes focused back on Wooyoung.

"Not at all," he assured him, lips quirking in what Wooyoung would dare to describe as a quelling smile. "I think what you say is very much the truth, yet I can't find an explanation for it."

"Well, I'll be damned if I know the reason," Wooyoung groaned, frustration and exhaustion beginning to creep up on him.

"I could do some research on it, if you'd like?" Yeosang offered.

“Would you?” Wooyoung gasped, leaning forward on his stool. Yeosang’s eyes seemed to light up with something akin to amusement.

“Why wouldn’t I?” he asked, voice lilting prettily as he tilted his head to the side. “You clearly need help, and I’m always ready to take on a challenge.”

Wooyoung felt gratitude and hope bloom in his chest like the first flowers of spring. “Are you sure you’re not an angel?”

“Pardon?” Yeosang looked entirely entertained now.

Wooyoung ears burned. “Nothing!”

“Alright,” Yeosang said, and Wooyoung wanted to disappear under his dark stare. “I don’t suppose you have someplace to stay in, do you?”

Wooyoung blinked, taken aback by the sudden change in topic. “Not really, no. I have some change in me, so I was thinking of maybe staying at an inn? If they accept this kind of currency, of course…”

Yeosang nodded, “I see.” He twirled his ring once more. “The research process might take a while, though. I would have to consult some friends, and perhaps even an archive…”

“I don’t think I have that kind of money on me,” Wooyoung mused, dread beginning to take hold of his heart. He would have to find some way to make revenue, or end up living in the street.

“I feared so,” Yeosang said. Wooyoung looked at him with terrified eyes. “I offer you a deal.”

“A deal?” Wooyoung repeated, still half panicking.

“Yes,” Yeosang confirmed. “A deal that goes like this: you may stay with me while I research your… situation, and in exchange, you work for me here in the store.”

Wooyoung was sure he was dreaming. It couldn’t be. It was ludicrous to think that out of all the stores he could have collapsed in front of, he had to choose the one that was run by a literal angel on Earth. Whoever dictated his luck must have really liked him.

"How are you real?" he asked Yeosang, and this time, instead of laughing, the man's cheeks grew red.

"I- why would you say that?!" he sputtered, lips forming an adorable pout. Wooyoung was delighted by the little outburst of emotion, determined to make Yeosang react like that again.

"Because you don't know me at all, yet you're offering me your home and your help," Wooyoung explained earnestly. It was baffling to him that Yeosang couldn't see the gratitude oozing out of him.

"You don't seem like a bad person," Yeosang muttered, his cheeks still a beautiful shade of red. "And I would never forgive myself if I just let someone in need to fend for themselves when I can offer them help."

Wooyoung beamed at him, at this impossibly kind being he had just met. "Not everyone would think like that."

Yeosang blushed a deeper shade of red. "Well, I suppose you're lucky to have encountered me and not anyone else."

"Oh, I am," Wooyoung confirmed, and Yeosang returned his smile.

It felt a lot like coming home.

* * *

Wooyoung settled in Yeosang's extra bedroom, a small yet comfortable space that he slowly grew to call his own.

Yeosang's home wasn't anything out of the ordinary, just a small apartment on top of the store that was accessed through a narrow set of stairs located in the backroom. Wooyoung was given a set of keys and freedom to roam any space he wanted, but also the responsibility of split chores and his new job at the store.

It was surprisingly easy, Wooyoung thought, to fall into a sort of rhythm with Yeosang once he had learnt everything he needed in order to receive customers and tend to the shop. He worked behind the counter as Yeosang prepared the potions or drafts that were due for the day in the back, and in the evenings, they fell on Yeosang's comfortable loveseat next to the fireplace upstairs, and talked over bowls of whatever Wooyoung had cooked for dinner.

Sometimes, Yeosang would update him on his research process, but most times, they just discussed business, or told stories about their respective upbringings. Wooyoung found himself enjoying these evenings more than he'd expected. Yeosang was serious and disciplined, but he allowed his walls to fall down around Wooyoung, and the wizard began to treasure every time one of his tales of mischief made Yeosang break down laughing.

He also began to love the way Yeosang would argue with him over the most insignificant of things, quarrels that never got far nor were they meant to hurt, but that they both seemed unable to go without. Wooyoung found in Yeosang a companion unlike any he'd had before, someone whose mind seemed to be perfectly in tune with his, that made his days feel full of a warmth he'd never experienced before.

He never felt the need to conceal his personality around Yeosang, he could be loud and mischievous and difficult, and Yeosang would only lift an eyebrow or roll his eyes amusedly, and shoot him down with just a few well crafted words. Wooyoung loved annoying him the most, because no matter how angry he pretended to be, he could never resist Wooyoung's infectious laughter for long.

Time passed slowly, fall freezing into winter thawing into spring, and before they knew it, the sweltering heat of summer was making them close the store for the day to venture out and seek some way to refresh themselves.

"I was thinking we could visit San at the orchard," Yeosang suggested, brushing his hair back and tying it with a ribbon at his nape. Wooyoung eyed the small ponytail and then the way Yeosang's face was fully displayed to him and felt a wave of something course through him.

"Do you think his ducks will attack me if I try to swim in the pond?" he asked, ignoring it.

"If they do, I'm not going to save you," Yeosang replied with a small smile.

"Rude," Wooyoung sentenced, but he looped his arm through Yeosang's anyway as they made their way to the farming side of the town.

Over the months, Wooyoung had met some of Yeosang's friends, witches, mages and wizards such as himself, along with some other creatures he had never even dreamt of meeting in real life. San was a kitchen witch who lived in a cottage on the southern part of the town, where he tended to his animals and plants and the occasional traveller with an ailment.

The walk to San's place was one of Wooyoung's favorites, since it required them to cross half the town in order to get there. Summer painted everything in a golden glow that Wooyoung appreciated thoroughly, and walking with Yeosang was always a lovely experience. Arm in arm, they crossed the town, and by the time the sun was beginning to climb up the sky, they caught a glimpse of the cottage's ivy covered walls.

Wooyoung was expecting the usual stampede of chickens and goats to come greet them, not the sulky dragon sitting on a heap of leathery wings and tail on the front step of San's front porch.

"Seonghwa?" both of them said at the same time. The dragon's head snapped up, big green eyes looking from one wizard to the other.

"Oh, hello," he greeted them, sounding sad and deflated. Wooyoung looked at Yeosang, who in turn raised an eyebrow in his direction. There were only so many reasons Seonghwa would be out here sulking, and most of them boiled down to the same tiny forest witch.

"Is everything okay?" Yeosang asked tentatively. Sometimes, a sulking Seonghwa was more explosive than others.

Seonghwa scratched the base of one of his horns where it disappeared into his dark hair. "I spooked a deer," he said, sheepishly.

"Oh no, poor thing," Wooyoung whined in solidarity, going to sit beside Seonghwa. He had to maneuver one of his wings out of the way, but he managed to wrap his arms around the dragon. It was a bit like hugging a warm blanket. "Did he throw you out?"

Seonghwa nodded, pouting as he let Wooyoung pet his head. "Told me not to come back until sundown."

"So mean," Wooyoung huffed, knowing it would make Seonghwa feel better. "I shall beat him when I see him."

"Please don't," Seonghwa pleaded, but a small smile had begun to replace his scowl. "I would prefer if he were all in one piece."

"Of course," Wooyoung agreed. He rested his head on Seonghwa's shoulder and smiled up at Yeosang, who was looking down at them with his usual stern expression.

Yeosang met his eyes and looked away in a hurry, suddenly transfixed with one of the protective charms hanging from the porch rails. "I'm sure he'll apologize later."

"Yes, he always does," Wooyoung reminded the dragon, who nodded.

"I know," his voice sounded endeared and soft, and Wooyoung made a face in Yeosang's direction. "I just enjoy being near him."

"As you should, he's your partner, after all," another voice said, and Wooyoung looked away from Yeosang's high cheekbones to focus on the newcomer.

"Sannie!" he exclaimed, beaming up at the witch.

San was in his work clothes, faded from years of sun exposure and dirt, yet not even the sunhat he was wearing could stop the myriad of freckles blooming all over his golden skin. He grinned at the three of them, dimples making a rapid appearance, and dropped a basket full of fruit on the floor by Wooyoung's feet.

"Hello, my dear wizard friends, I was not expecting you today," he said, pushing his hat backwards and wiping his sweaty forehead with a rag.

"Wooyoungie wanted to go out, and I thought I would consult some things with you, if you have the time?" Yeosang explained.

"Oh, surely!" San agreed cheerfully, his smile glowing. "Let's go inside, shall we? I was going to prepare some lemonade for Seonghwa, so we'll make some more for you too."

"Lemonade sounds good," Yeosang conceded, and followed San up the steps of the porch, stepping over Seonghwa's tail and ruffling Wooyoung's hair on his way in.

Wooyoung looked at them as they disappeared inside the cottage before turning back to the dragon in his arms. Seonghwa lost a long sigh, resting his chin on Wooyoung's arm, and Wooyoung couldn't resist the urge to coo.

"You'll be okay," he reminded him, bumping his head against the dragon's gently. "San is right, he's your partner, he loves you even if he's bad at expressing it."

Another sigh. "I suppose you're correct," Seonghwa said, sounding defeated. Wooyoung rubbed his back in between his wings, trying to soothe him. "How do you do it?"

"Hm?" Wooyoung hummed in question, unsure of what exactly Seonghwa was asking him.

"You and Yeosang," Seonghwa clarified, and Wooyoung's hand stilled. "How do you never fight?"

"Oh, we do," Wooyoung assured him, still confused by the turn the conversation was taking. "I don't see how we are equiparable to you and Hongjoong, though?"

"You're not- I thought you'd-" Seonghwa stuttered, turning to look at Wooyoung with wild eyes. "You haven't told him you love him yet?"

Wooyoung felt all his blood run cold.

"What?!"

Something in Seonghwa's eyes grew soft. "Wooyoung," he started, but the wizard didn't allow him to continue.

"No," he replied, categorically. He wasn't in love with Yeosang. He _couldn't_ be in love with Yeosang. Not when Yeosang was looking for a way to help him go back to his world.

"Wooyoungie," Seonghwa said again, almost like he were talking to a child. "Don't do this to yourself."

"But-" Wooyoung sputtered, his heart threatening to beat out of his chest. "No. No, I can't. It can't be."

"But it is," Seonghwa reasoned, and Wooyoung felt those words ring true in his chest.

He looked at the dragon with desperate eyes. "Why?"

Seonghwa laughed softly. "I wish I knew," he replied, his eyes gently meeting Wooyoung's. "But I'm afraid in love we don't decide."

"This can't be happening," Wooyoung muttered, hiding his face in his hands. How had he been so stupid? How had he not realized what the warmth he felt in his core every time he looked at Yeosang was? Careless, his mind told him, foolish. "What do I do?"

"Tell him," was the dragon's instant response.

Wooyoung's hands fell to his lap as he stared at him in disbelief. "I don't think you understand just how much I cannot do that."

"Why not?" Seonghwa questioned, his head tilting to the side.

"He's helping me return to my world, Seonghwa!" Wooyoung reminded him.

"All the more reason to tell him," the dragon reasoned. Wooyoung looked at him and wondered whether he'd lost his mind.

"He might not love me," he told him, voice trembling slightly towards the end despite his best efforts.

Seonghwa gave him that soft look again. "That you can never know, but in this case, I can assure you with utmost certainty that he might."

"You can't just say that," Wooyoung protested, his cheeks feeling warm. The idea of Yeosang loving him was as ludicrous as it was stupid.

"I think you underestimate the effect you have on him," Seonghwa mused, his tail coming to wrap around Wooyoung's ankle. "He's been smitten with you since the very beginning."

"Liking my company as a friend and _being in love_ _with me_ are two very different things," Wooyoung grumbled, looking down at his feet.

"And that is why you should tell him," Seonghwa pushed, squeezing his ankle.

"It wouldn't work out," Wooyoung said, trying to make the dragon see all the reasons why everything could go wrong. "I'm leaving."

Seonghwa looked at him with eyes that held entirely too much wisdom for someone who looked so young. "But do you really want to go?"

The question made Wooyoung's entire world stop.

Did he want to go? Did he want to leave the life he had built here, the friendships he'd made, the love he'd been too blind to see until now… for what? A small one room apartment and a bit of fun at the expense of other people. The town's scorn and reproach. No friends. No Yeosang.

"I don't," he whispered, almost to himself, but he knew Seonghwa was close enough to hear it. "I want to stay here, with all of you, with _him_."

His eyes stung when he looked back at Seonghwa.

"Tell him," Seonghwa said again, his voice soft as velvet, and Wooyoung felt the first tear run down his cheek.

"I- I will try to," he choked out. The dragon smiled beautifully at him.

"That's it," he told him, and opened his arms in invitation for a hug that Wooyoung accepted all too gladly.

That's how San found them, Wooyoung's face hidden in Seonghwa's neck and the dragon tracing gentle circles on his back with his hand.

"The lemonade is done, is everything okay?" he asked, sounding mildly concerned. Wooyoung felt Seonghwa shake his head lightly.

"He realized he's in love with Yeosang," he said in a small voice. Wooyoung sighed against his shirt.

"Oh, my stars," San muttered. "Only now?"

"Some of us are slow, Sannie," Wooyoung tried to defend himself. He heard San laugh softly, and something inside him settled. This was it, the place where he belonged.

"Are you going to tell him?" San asked, voice careful. "He's inside reading now, we could give you some space."

"I…" Wooyoung pondered it, made a list with everything that could go right and everything that could go wrong in his head. In the worst case, Yeosang would be angry at him and send him back to his world. In the best one, Yeosang returned his feelings and Wooyoung got to stay with him. "Would you do that?"

Seonghwa's arms tightened around him. "Of course."

"We'll just go gather some wood to make lunch, right, Seonghwa?" San said, and Seonghwa nodded, the movement ruffling Wooyoung's hair.

"I-" Wooyoung suddenly felt choked up by an emotion he could barely describe. He extricated himself from Seonghwa's arms to look at both of his friends. "Thank you."

They both smiled. "It's nothing," San said, waving a hand, Seonghwa nodded his agreement.

"You are the best friends anyone could ask for," Wooyoung told them truthfully.

"Stop that," Seonghwa said, but a slight blush had crept up his scale sprinkled cheeks. "Go inside and save us all some heartbreak."

Wooyoung grimaced, but nodded. "I will try."

"You've got this!" San exclaimed, hugging him when he got to his feet.

"Let's hope you're right," Wooyoung sighed, and pushed the door of the cottage open.

Inside, the pungent herbal smell was the first thing to greet him. Then, as his eyes adapted to the half-light, the fireplace and the table San used for his work. Waiting there was a pitcher of lemonade with a few glasses by its side, and sitting in front of a half empty glass, was Yeosang, book open on the table and eyebrows furrowed as he read.

Wooyoung took a moment to just look at him, basking in his aura and warmth. Yeosang was beautiful, that was a fact Wooyoung hadn't even dreamt of denying since the beginning. Wooyoung loved his big, dark eyes, his defined cheekbones, the gentle arc of his nose. He also loved his hair, soft and long at the back, his birthmark, his hands… Everything about Yeosang was designed to steal his attention, and he couldn't believe he hadn't realized until that very moment just how much he never wanted to look away from him.

Yeosang looked up, almost as if he'd sensed Wooyoung's presence, and his face lit up in a smile.

"Wooyoungie," he said, his voice so deep and smooth like honey, and Wooyoung felt his heart leave his chest to fly into Yeosang's hands. "Where are the others?"

Wooyoung started. "T-they went to get some wood."

"Oh, okay," Yeosang accepted easily, eyes straying back to the book. "Actually, I had something to talk with you."

"Y-you did?" Wooyoung's heartbeat stuttered with him.

"Yes, come, sit with me," Yeosang patted the chair next to his quietly, and Wooyoung had no option but to obey. Sitting this close to Yeosang after the realization he just had was a bit like treating a burn with more heat, but Wooyoung had never had very good self preservation instincts. Yeosang pointed at something in his book, and Wooyoung's focus scattered. "I think I figured it out."

"Figured out what?" Wooyoung asked dumbly, his head struggling to function with how close Yeosang was and how easy it would be to just lean forward and…

"How to get you back home," Yeosang cut his train of thought.

 _You are my home_. "D-did you?"

Yeosang nodded enthusiastically. "I was forgetting to take the moon's placement into account, but luckily San keeps a record of these things." He tapped something on the book, but Wooyoung was too preoccupied with his face. "In summary, it appears that at a certain time of the year, during a small stretch of time, a portal is created in that specific location.”

“Oh,” Wooyoung breathed, nodding as though that made any sense to him. “And that time is…”

“The last day of the tenth month, it appears,” Yeosang explained.

“That’s soon...” Wooyoung commented, mostly to himself.

“You must be eager to go back,” Yeosang said, and Wooyoung’s head snapped up to look at him with wild eyes.

“Why would I be?”

Yeosang gave him a strange look. “Why wouldn’t you? It’s your world, after all.”

Wooyoung stared at Yeosang, at his stupidly kind, wonderful and selfless friend, and felt something give way inside of him.

“Yeosang, I don’t want to go anywhere if you’re not there with me,” he said, the words heavy but true on his tongue.

“A-are you asking me to come with you?” Yeosang asked, looking confused. Wooyoung let out a laugh, and in a bout of courage, took his hand in his.

“I’m asking you to let me stay here,” he pleaded, squeezing Yeosang’s hand. Yeosang’s eyes widened, his mouth fell open.

“Why?”

Wooyoung smiled at him, feeling oddly at calm despite it all. “Because I cannot fathom my life without you in it anymore.”

Yeosang’s cheeks bloomed red. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying,” Wooyoung took a deep breath, looked Yeosang in the eyes, and hoped to the stars. “That I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life by your side.”

Shock flooded Yeosang’s features, and Wooyoung braced himself for the worst. He’d overdone it. He’d scared Yeosang away, and now he would never want to see Wooyoung again. He would have to go back to his world, to his dull and depressing life with no friends and no angelic roommates.

“You- you love me?” Yeosang stuttered out, his cheeks burning and his eyes scanning Wooyoung’s face frantically.

Wooyoung nodded sheepishly, unable to meet his eyes. “I do, I’m sorry.”

“W-why are you apologizing?”

“Because I’d foolishly thought I had a chance,” Wooyoung mumbled, looking intently at his feet.

“Who said you didn’t have one?” Yeosang’s voice sounded amused, and Wooyoung found enough courage to look him in the eyes again. He was smiling, a small and secret thing, and Wooyoung felt his breath being stolen away.

“Y-you…”

Yeosang blushed again, hiding his face on his shoulder. “Yes.”

“Yeosang,” Wooyoung breathed, reaching forward without thinking and cupping Yeosang’s face with his hand. The other was still holding onto Yeosang’s for dear life, and Wooyoung felt like he was drowning in the best possible way. “Do you truly mean this?”

Yeosang rubbed his cheek on Wooyoung’s palm, like the contact was bringing him great comfort. “When have I ever lied to you?”

Wooyoung felt like he was about to burst at the seams with joy. “Well, there was that time with the teapot-”

“Wooyoung,” Yeosang cut him, and Wooyoung really thought there was something about the way he said his name that he would never tire of hearing. “Be quiet.”

And then, before he could manage to sneak a witty remark in, Yeosang leaned in and pressed his lips to Wooyoung’s.

If Wooyoung had thought he was drowning before, it was nothing compared to the emotion that coursed through his entire body at the feeling of Yeosang’s lips on his. It was like everything wrong with the Universe had fallen into place, like the stars were dancing behind his closed eyelids because fate had finally brought two of its pieces together. Yeosang tasted like summer and sweet lemons, and Wooyoung honestly didn’t know how he would manage to breathe ever again if it wasn’t through his lips.

They parted after what felt like simultaneously an eternity and no time at all, and Wooyoung found himself staring into Yeosang’s angel eyes.

“I think this might become my preferred method of silenciation,” he croaked, and Yeosang’s cheeks burned under his touch.

“I might do it again if you continue to be insufferable,” he threatened.

“Oh, woe is me,” Wooyoung chuckled, and met Yeosang halfway.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! 
> 
> pls consider leaving kudos and comments, they fuel your local writers <3


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